HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM ELIGIBLE FOR A MEDICARE REBATE?
You will need to make an appointment with your GP, who will assess whether you are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. In order to claim a Medicare rebate for your session, you will need to bring a copy of your Mental Health Treatment Plan to your first appointment.
ACCESSING PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES UNDER MEDICARE OR PRIVATELY
Quick Guide
PRIVATE FUNDS
If you prefer, you can elect to pay the full fee for psychological services out of pocket; which means that no referral from your GP, Paediatrician or Psychiatrist is required.
If you have private health insurance that includes psychological counselling as extras cover you may be eligible for a partial rebate. Rebates from private health funds will vary, depending on the health fund and the level of insurance cover. It is recommend to contact your insurance provider for further information about your personal coverage and the rebates you are entitled to.
REDUCED FEES
Natalja is committed to making psychological services available to all people, irrespective of their financial situation. At the private practice she works at (MindTree), she offers a limited number of reduced-fee appointments, which reduces out-of-pocket costs to clients who undergoing financial hardship.
The reduced-fee services are reserved for Concession and Health Care Card holders, including clients who receive an age or disability pension, are unemployed, or a full-time tertiary student. Only limited reduced-fee appointments are available. Please note, Natalja does not offer a a bulk-billing service.
MEDICARE REBATE
Natalja is a Medicare-registered Psychologist. To find out if you are eligible to receive a Medicare rebate, please follow the step-by-step guide below.
1. STEP
SEE YOUR GP
If you believe you would benefit from seeing a Psychologist, the first step is to make an appointment with your GP. We recommend requesting an extended appointment, as it can take some time to get all the information needed to prepare the referral. Your GP will assess whether you are eligible for a referral to see a Psychologist given your healthcare needs and circumstances. This will involve talking about your mental health and any concerns or challenges you might be facing. Additionally, you will most likely be asked to complete a questionnaire about how you have been feeling recently. If your GP determines that seeing a Psychologist can assist you, he or she will provide you with a document known as a Mental Health Treatment Plan. This will enable you to claim $88.25 for each session with your General Psychologist/Clinical Psychologist Registrar. All referral documents should be made out to "Natalja Nabinger de Diaz".
2. STEP
GET IN TOUCH
The next step is to get in touch with our practice and make an appointment. Your GP may fax us your Mental Health Treatment Plan prior to your appointment or give it to you to bring along. It is important to be aware that in order to claim the Medicare rebate for your sessions, we require a copy of your referral at the time of your appointment. Unfortunately, we are unable to process your rebate without this paperwork. You will also need to bring your Medicare and EFTPOS cards. We use an electronic claiming service, so you can claim your rebate and have it deposited into your bank account immediately. This means that you only pay the gap fee at the time of your appointment.
3. STEP
CHECK BACK IN WITH YOUR GP
Your Mental Health Treatment Plan entitles you to claim up to six sessions with a Psychologist through Medicare, and up to 10 individual and 10 group treatment sessions in total. After your sixth appointment, your Psychologist will provide a report to your GP regarding the progress therapy and whether additional sessions are needed. Prior to COIVID-19, a person may claim up to 10 sessions with Psychologist per calendar year (January 1 to December 31). Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential to access more medicare-funded psychology sessions has been increased. This means that you can return to your GP and request a new referral for an additional four sessions, if necessary.